Posts Tagged ‘japanese’

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The Prescription

by K on December 2nd, 2011
Posted In: Comics
The Prescription

I’m pretty sure that what the doctor in the comic described is that patient’s average Tuesday anyway.

Big lifestyle change.

While there may be many differences between cultures, one thing is fairly consistent in both the East and the West: dogs are typically seen as man’s best friend. Like those of us who’ve grown up in more European-flavored surroundings, the people of Japan have long held that the dog is a kind and noble animal, always loyal to its master, a creature to be respected and loved. Within the Japanese spiritual tradition of Shinto, it is thought that every thing on earth contains some kind of spirit, whether that is an animal, a fish, or rocks and trees. While there are some bits of folklore and popular culture within Japan that show dog spirits protecting their masters after a natural death, there is a specific and somewhat grisly tale from the island nation about purposefully creating one of these strange specters. Yes, not unlike the familiar of European witches and warlocks, it is possible to create or summon an Inugami by human hands, but it isn’t pleasant.

It is thought that by burying a loyal dog up to its neck in the ground and placing food around it, just out of reach, and letting it starve to death, one can create a lingering spirit. The food acts as an offering to the dog’s tortured shade, placating it and causing the spirit to attach itself to the one who has made the offering.

Not too nice, right? Well, there are worse methods.

One legend tells of an old woman who, holding revenge and anger in her heart, buried her loyal canine in the ground. Speaking to this once precious dog, she told it that if it does, indeed, have a spirit within, that she would worship it and make ritual offerings if it would but serve her. After placing the offerings, she took a saw and cut the dog’s head off, releasing its spirit. The newly created Inugami listened to her words and accepted her offerings but haunted her until the end of her life, sometimes even going so far as to possess her.

It is thought that an Inugami-Mochi (one who owns or controls an Inugami) may be blessed by the presence of such a loyal and cunning spirit, though it is equally possible that such a haunting might reap only ill effects and misfortune. It seems to depend on the person or family and the area of Japan being examined.

It is interesting to note that Inugami may have their own independent motives outside their master or masters’ interests. This can lead to some startling side effects.

One possible event is that an Inugami-Mochi may become possessed by the spirit. While this can cure illnesses and offer strength to the host, it may also result in psychological issues, including acting like a dog.

Compared to some of today’s prescriptions, that doesn’t seem like such a terrible side effect.

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Flawless Transformation

by K on June 24th, 2011
Posted In: Comics
Flawless Transformation

A note to those browsing at work or school: links in the blog may be NSFW. The Tanuki is always shown with large testicles! You have been warned!

As discussed in the blog post about shintoism, posted a couple of months ago, the Japanese people have long held nature spirits and animals in reverence and featured them in stories. Among the various creatures in folklore, few are as widely recognized as the Tanuki, and for good reason. He has a few incredible traits that make him stand out from the rest of his animal brethren, but there is one that really catches the eye.

I’m talking about his ability to transform.

Also he has gigantic balls.

How does he even manage to transform those things? I don’t think he can.

It’s genitalia week here at Happle Tea apparently. Exploring all things ding-dong. Tell your friends.

Like many other cultures throughout history, the Japanese have used animals as symbols and characters for storytelling, and like other cultures, they have had favourites; animals that return in story after story that are easily recognizable and that have remained as icons even in modern times. Like its cousin, the Fox, the Japanese Raccoon Dog, or Tanuki, is still a modern cultural touchstone in Japan, even making its way into commercials. Both the Tanuki and the Fox are seen as trickster spirits, the sort of creatures that can make life difficult just as often as they can make it easier for the humans that tangle with them, though the Tanuki is generally seen as a more positive creature. It has long been shown as having a large belly, a smiling face, and humorously large testicles, among other things, all of which are potent symbols in their own way.

I’m fairly certain the giant balls are mostly for laughs.

The Tanuki is well known as a trickster spirit, often using his transformative powers to fool unsuspecting humans or other animals. He is a silly sort of creature in most stories, rarely acting with serious violence toward others and often being quite helpful with his clever tricks. There is a story in which a Tanuki is caught in a trap and is found by a poor Merchant who sets him free. The Tanuki, in order to help the man, transforms into a tea kettle and tells the merchant to sell him, which he does. A monk purchases him and sets him on the fire to boil some water. Unable to stand the heat, the Tanuki jumps up and runs out, half transformed. The tanuki runs back to the poor merchant with a new plan. The two set up a roadside attraction where the half transformed Tanuki (now a tea pot with legs) walks a tight rope. The plan is a success and the monk is no longer poor while the Tanuki has a friend and a home.

To the Japanese, the Tanuki is a clever and humorous creature, a powerful cultural touchstone that has survived since ancient times. He is proudly displayed in anime, manga, and even commercials, waving his huge testicles like some kind of banner.

While we here in the United States might find this a bit strange, sexuality of this nature is largely a non-issue in Japan. The stories of the Tanuki have very little to do with this particular facet of description, and much more to do with his trickster nature, though old illustrations are often more concerned with his giant balls than the stories seem to be. Some of them are a little over the top.

Though some in the west may find this strange creature a little offensive, Japan has always known what children have known forever:

It’s really cool when things transform into other things.

Also giant balls are hilarious.

You can read a few tanuki stories from Andrew Lang here(the first three).

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Spiritual Guidance

by K on April 15th, 2011
Posted In: Comics
Spiritual Guidance

Am I saying that Shinto, the traditional religion of Japan has no place in modern society? Not necessarily. Am I saying that you might want to think twice before seeking career advice from a nature spirit (kami) that has no frame of reference for the life of a corporate salaryman? Maybe.

Japan’s ancient belief system, known as Shinto, is something of a living relic. While there is a general idea in the west that this belief system is dead and/or dying, it actually seems to be alive and well despite the rapid modernization that has taken place in Japan since World War 2. A rare breed of ancient animist systems and more modern ritualistic practices, Shintoism is surprising for a number of reasons. Cultures all across the globe, at one point, practiced some form of animism, ie-the belief that natural creations (the rocks, the trees, the animals, etc) held some type of spirit that could be turned to for guidance, offered respects to, or that could hinder or harm unwary believers. While most cultures have mutated their belief systems in such a way as to unintentionally conceal these origins (there is, for example almost no hint of animism in the Abrahamic faiths) the Japanese people have held tight to this tradition for thousands of years.

Like Buddhism, Shinto does not require faith as a measure of belief. Shinto practitioners engage in rituals celebrating many aspects of the natural world from rocks, to trees, to animals and even the spirit of ancestors that have passed on. It is an extremely present belief system, a set of ideals that lauds the current moment as being beautiful and important and supported by the land on which one lives. Recognition of and respect for the place in which one dwells is a theme seen in other animist traditions such as many native American cultures and others that have lived close to the land for thousands of years. Japan, until the mid 1800′s, was still living a feudal lifestyle as part of an empire. Serious modernization efforts did not occur until after contact with America. For this reason, it would seem highly likely that the belief and practice of Shinto would die out, if not during those early years, then at least now that Japan has become a leader in technology, science, and modern living. Strangely, this has not been the case. While Japan has changed drastically in its outward appearance, there are many cultural ideals still going strong beneath the surface. Some of them can be seen as good and others as bad, but what is clear is that Japan’s identity is all its own.

It may be a bit confusing to some in the west how someone can work the demanding schedule of a Japanese salaryman, living in a small apartment and working in a mega-city like Tokyo only to then take trips to the countryside to engage in Shinto rituals or just to be near the trees that grow there. It’s something very different than what we experience spiritually in places like America, but that’s exactly the reason this still happens. Japan has always been different and the nation prides itself on its own unique perspective. While they may borrow from the west where they see fit, Japan’s heart has always been Japanese.

There’s something beautiful in that, something to respect. While it may not be a major player on the world stage, Shinto has a lot to teach people in the west and even the people that ignore it in Japan. Modern living is still supported by the world we all share and to ignore that fact is costly to all of us. Perhaps if Shinto had spread more actively, the world would be a much different place. It’s hard to say.

While I still contend that the spirits contained within rocks, trees, or weasels may not be the best to turn to for advice on modern living, I do think they could teach us a thing or two about respecting our surroundings. Either way, it couldn’t hurt to stop every now and again and offer your thanks to the trees that help us breathe, to the water that we drink, or to the animals and plants that help keep us alive.

Too often we think of ourselves as being apart from the world, something different, something unique and powerful with dominion over the world. Nothing could be further from the truth. While we imagine ourselves emperors supported on the shoulders of the natural world, it would take very little to knock that support out from under us and cause it all to come crashing down.

The world is our home and no matter where you live, taking a moment to stop and appreciate it all doesn’t hurt you.

In fact, it may help put your problems and your life into a new perspective.

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The Bamboo Cutter's Daughter

by K on April 13th, 2010
Posted In: Comics
The Bamboo Cutter's Daughter

This is the 100th Happle Tea strip! Amazing!

I wanted to do something different and fun for the 100th strip and, after talking to William about Japanese myths, he helped me cook this little baby up. I felt like it was appropriate material for that. This is the first actual Japanese myth I’ve covered, as well, which is an interesting coincidence. I know I used the Tengu, but that was just a creature. He doesn’t count.

Japanese myth is often very different, I’ve found, from many of its counterparts. There was a time in my life where I frowned upon folktales and myths originating from that lovely island nation, but I’ve recently begun to appreciate it more. It’s a subtle thing, informed by the vastly different and (until recent history) fairly isolationist attitudes of its people. It’s difficult to generalize the entire mythological history of a region so I’ll just say that a lot of the myths do not, generally, appeal to western sensibilities. Many people are often left scratching their heads after hearing one of these tales asking, “What? That’s it?” I’ve been there. I get it. But if you look deeper, you may learn to appreciate something different than what you’re used to and that will deepen your experience as a human being.

Take this myth for example. Ostensibly, it’s a myth that relates (in a sort of convoluted way) the reason behind the smoke seen on Mt. Fuji. But it’s more than that, there are layers to the tale that aren’t apparent on the surface. Those of us in the west growing up in these times often look for our themes in the ending, in how things play out, but what I’ve found in Japanese myth (and other asian myths as well) is that there is equally as much meaning in the events leading up to the end and in the interactions of characters.

There were parts I had to cut (yes, even in a 9 panel strip) in order to relate the bulk of the tale while still getting to a joke. There are also many versions of the story. One has the princess leaving the mountain top to join the moon folk, her body becoming mist as she does so, and that is the smoke atop Fuji. Another has her sending a letter to the Emperor before she leaves and that being the one he sends with his retainers. There is also a large portion of the story dedicated to Kaguya sending various princely suitors on impossible quests. The story is in a ton of books and all over the internets.

Honestly, I’d love to do more strips like this; shorter, maybe, but with this sort of attention paid to the myth. This is my goal.

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天狗の愛 (Working Title)

by K on December 18th, 2009
Posted In: Comics
天狗の愛 (Working Title)

This comic features two of my favourite things: Tengu and Engrish. I’ve been wanting to find a place for some engrish in the strip for a long time and when I got the idea for this Tengu character, the lines practically wrote themselves. I have to say, it was incredibly difficult not go whole hog and have him speak entirely in Engrish.

As far as Engrish goes, I got some wonderful results for the poster by using Yahoo’s impossibly bad babelfish translator. The site is fiendishly awful for acquiring any sort of purposeful information from other languages. If attempting to translate something using it, please be aware that it spits forth only venomous lies and misinformation. However, if you like to use things improperly (as I do) for hilarious results, you would be wise to try translating something from english to japanese, taking the japanese results and translating them back to english. I believe William made some awesome Facebook statuses this way.

That said, please do not correct my Japanese. I do not speak the language and I didn’t even try to get anything right. The more wrong it is, the funnier it is to me.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way…

Japan is an interesting place, rife with strange creatures, some terrifying, some meant to be terrifying but that are actually hilarious. The Tengu falls into the latter category. There are a great many different kinds of Tengu, originating in different time periods from many different people and for gods only know what reasons exactly. These humanoids began their mythological lives as terrible bird demons and somehow became ridiculous red faced men with long noses and bulging eyes. Not what we would call a respectable and impressive retirement.

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